Reversing mechanism



March 11, 1952 T. B. ROYAL 2,588,883

REVERSING MECHANISM Filed Sept. l5, 1950 ff z INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE REVERSING MECHANISM Thomas B. Royal, Homestead, Fla. Application September 15, 1950, Serial No. 185,056

(Cl. 'Z4-205) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to reversing mechanisms, and more particularly to such mechanisms which do not depend upon gearing for their operation.

There long has been a need for a reversing mechanism which is efficient and quick in operation, and, at the same time, inexpensive to manufacture. Gears are costly, and become noisy with continued use. They are difficult to engage and disengage at high speeds, and it is practically impossible to reverse a shaft motion by means of gearing unless a clutch is employed to break the connection between the gearing and the shaft. Otherwise, there is great danger that the gears, if brought into engagement at all, will be stripped. Nevertheless, it is frequently desirable to suddenly reverse the direction of rotation of a shaft without waiting for the shaft speed to be reduced, and where no clutch is employed to couple the reversing mechanism to the shaft.

It is the object of the present invention to provide reversing mechanism which does not employ gears to effect the reverse movement of the shafting, and which may be moved from one position to another by a single continuous movement of the operating lever without pause in the neutral position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such mechanism which may be thrown to reverse position at any operating speed of the shafting.

The invention further contemplates mechanism which will function as a clutch to couple and uncouple the driving and driven shafts of the machine with which it is used.

Another object is to provide mechanism which is completely adjustable to take up for Wear or to align the various parts to ensure even and efficient operation.

Other objects will become apparent from the following description of one practical embodiment of the invention when taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany, and form a part of, this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a reversing mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reversing mechanism is enclosed Within a housing generally indicated at I. The ends of the driving shaft 2 and the driven shaft 3 are journaled in axial alignment in opposite sides of the housing I, as at 4 and 5, and the two shafts meet near the center of the housing, the driven shaft 3 having reduced coaxial pilot shaft t projecting from its end to rotate Within a thrust bearing within a socket -I adjacent the end of the driving shaft 2.

Fixedly mounted upon the driving shaft 2, by means of a key 8 and a set screw 9, is a cone It. Slidably mounted upon a splined portion II of the driven shaft 3 is a similar cone I2. Both cones, of course, rotate with their respective shafts. Both cones have their beveled sides I3 and I4 covered with friction material, as are their opposed faces I5 and I6. Cone I2 is moved toward and away from cone I0 in order to engage and disengage their faces I5 and I6 by means of an operating handle I'I. The handle is pivotally mounted upon ears I8 which project inwardly from the side wall of the housing. The upper end of the handle projects upwardly through a slot I9 in the top of the housing to a position which will be convenient to the operator. The portion of the lever within the housing is bifurcated, as at 20, and extends downwardly to straddle the driven shaft 3. The lower ends of the bifurcated member bear against pins 2I which project laterally from the outer member 22 of a thrust bearing '23 carried upon the rear face of the sliding cone I2. The inner member of the bearing is xed to the cone, and rotates with it, and the outer member 22 may remain stationary in contact with the operating lever.

Outward sliding movement of cone I2 is limited by means of stops positioned in Ythe side walls of the casing. These may conveniently take the form of screws 24 threaded through the housing wall. Lock nuts 25 are provided for holding the screws in predetermined adjustment.

Mounted upon bell cranks 26 and 21 for movement in directions perpendicular to the axis of the driving and driven shafts `are small reversing cones 28 and 29. These cones also have their beveled faces covered with friction material. Bell cranks 26 and 2'I each have vertical arms, 30 and 3l, and horizontal arms, 32 and 33. Bell crank 26 is pivoted to ears 34 projecting from the housing, and bell crank 2'I to "similar ears 35. Cones 28 and 29 are journaled upon oil-less bearings 36 and 3'I which are attached to the respective horizontal arms 32 and 33 of the cranks 28 and 29. The vertical arms 38 and 3I of cranks 28 and 29 overlap, and arm 3| is provided with an adjusting screw 38 which bears against the adjacent arm 30. By turning the screw 38, the relative positions of the cones 28 and 29 with respect to the axis of the driving and driven shafts'may be changed to equalize the pressures of these cones on the cones Ill and I2 as will be explained. Movement is imparted to the bell cranks by an arm 39 which extends horizontally vfrom lever I1.

In operation, handle I'I is moved to the left as viewed in Figure 1, when it is desired to couple the driving and driven shafts .for direct, forward movement. This will cause the lower bifurcated portion of the handle to bear against the pins 2l on the outer member .22 of the thrust bearing 23 and move the cone 1'2 'forward until the face IB of cone I2 is in contact with face I5 of cone I0. The friction material on the faces I5 and IB ywill cause cone yIFJ .to .drivecone I2 in the direction, and at the speed of cone I8.

When it is desired .to `reverse the Adirection of the driven shaft, handle -ITI is moved in the opposite direction, or to the rightas viewed in Figure l. This will 4permit cone I2 to slide :back on the splines I-I on shaft :3 uncoupling Ithe two shafts. Continued movement of the handle will cause arm 39 to contact the top o f the horizontal arm 32 of bell crank 26 and rock the bell -crank j,y

about its pivotal connection and move the cone 2,8 inwardly into contact with the beveled'faces of the cones I8 and I2. This rocking movement of bell crank 26 will cause its vertical arm 30 to strike the end .of the adjustingfscrew 38 and so :move fbell crank 21 about its pivot. This will move cone 29 into contact with cones .'I-,l and I2. The drive will then .be through cone I 8,cones 28 and 29, andcone -I21to the drivenshaft 3, and the 1direction of .rotation ,of the driven ,shaft will be reversed to thatof the drive shaft.

It will be noted that the journals foreones 28 and ,29 `are 4centrally positioned with .respect Ito the cones I8 ,and I2 `when coneV vI2 isi-moved vto its .outward position. This will ensure the-proper seating :of the cones 28 and 29 iupon cones I0 and I2. If there `is any ,divergence :from this setting, the stop screws 24 may be adjusted to correct it. `If the .cones ,2,8 and- 29 ,do ,not `,seat

upon the cones lil ,and yI;,2 `fully and simultaneously, the screw ,nmayheadjusted until the movement of the cones is :equalized These adjustments may be made to compensate for wear of the friction lmaterial onthevarious Cones.

This type of reversinginechanism .will-beabsolutely silent in operation and may be shifted from forward to reverse immediately at any speed of the shafts. The mechanism may serve also as a clutch by shifting the handle to a position where none of the cones will be in contact.

While in the above, one practical embodiment has been disclosed, it will be understood that the form shown is merely by way of illustration of the .principles of the invention, and that these 'principles may take other ,embodiments within Ythe spirit -of the invention as defi-ned by the appended claims.

:What is claimed is: Y

1,. In reversing mechanism, a driving shaft and a driven shaft, a friction cone fixed upon one of said shafts, a friction cone slidably mounted upon the other of said shafts, said cones having matching verticalfaces, a pivoted operating lever for moving said slidable cone into and out of facial engagement withisaid fixed cone, a pair of bell cranks pivotally mounted v.and .each having a vertical arm and a horizontal arm, the vertical arms lying in the same plane `and overlapping, a friction cone rotatably `Icarried by the horizontal arm of each bell ,crank vwitlfi theiraxes perpendicular to the axes of said driving Aand driven shafts, and an arm projecting Afrom said operating lever to contact thehorizontalarmof one of said bell cranks, whereby movement .of said operating ,lever Willcause `sliding `movement of said slidable cone and rocking movementpf said `bell cranks to move said ,perpendicularly mounted cones intoand out of .engagement vwith said slidable and fixed cones.

2. lvIn .reversing mechanism as claimedinciaim l, adjustable means vto limit the .outwardmovef ment `of said slidable cone, and Vmeans c :jirried bythe overlappingportionifone of said vertical bell crank arms to adjust `the ,relative positions of saidbell cranks.

' THOMAS B. ROYAL.

kREFEREN,01ES CITED :The :following references are of record in the le `of ,this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name `Date 1,006,638 English I iOct-24, 1911 .2,451,621 Houston I Oct. `19 1948 2.5451356 LlOyd ,--..----i-, .OCt. 1.9, 19.48

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Apate 505,880 Germany .Aug.27,"lj930 

